The video essay space is so oversaturated and there are a lot of people that don’t really have opinions or evidence they just repeat stuff but here are some people that make insightful video essays in my opinion and some recs for videos to watch
the stars are for my fav channels
tv/movies/pop culture
Big Joel
Broey deschanel - love the saltburn video
Cj the x - very chaotic but insightful videos on a range of topics
Friendly space ninja
Jane mulcahy - has great videos on hallmark movies
Jenny Nicholson * - yes the videos are long but i have watched them all multiple timea
Lindsay ellis *
Lola Sebastian * - her videos on cannibalism, tennis and James franco are amazing
Mina le * - love her recent video on the evil symbolism of milk - she talks a lot about fashion as well
Pop culture detective - breaks down tropes like harmless peeping and “born sexy yesterday”
Princess weekes - media analysis from an intersectional perspective
Sarah z - I’m not always familiar with the media but it’s always interesting
Sloan Stowe *
Skip intro * - great videos on copaganda
The morbid zoo - great videos on the sound of freedom and civil war
Verilybitchie - love the video on Spider-Man and class
Yhara zayd - haven’t always seen the relevant movies but every video is very insightful and well put
Social commentary/politics/philosophy
Alice cappelle
Intelexual media * - so underrated she discusses history sociology and pop culture with a focus on black women
Olisunvia
Philosophy tube
Contrapoints - love the twilight video
Shanspeare *
Miscellaneous/informative
Bobby broccoli - amazing videos about science scandals that are interesting even if you have no special knowledge about science like me
Horses *
knowing better- analysis of religious groups and history
Kaz rowe - great videos on a range on crazy phenomenons from a range of historical periods
Lemmino - animated videos about various mysteries
Merafromyoutube - K-pop analysis
Micthesnare - music history and commentary
extra: last week tonight with John Oliver - not exactly video essays but very well researched and funny deep dives into a range of topics
Sorry this list is so long I apparently watch a lot of video essays
Anyway hope this list is helpful <3
Jan 7, 2025
Related Recs
Currently getting through Dan Olson/Folding Idea’s latest video. All of his stuff is great and thoroughly well researched. Some of my fave videos of his: Tuca & Bertie, Flat Earth, and *his critique* of the Nostalgia Critic's *critique* of The Wall by Pink Floyd - his videos on NFTs and The Metaverse are fantastic too
In no particular order, here's some more YouTubers I'm subbed to:
(would love to write up a paragraph for each of them but don't want to take up too much space!)
Princess Weekes: https://www.youtube.com/@Princess_Weekes/videos
Jenny Nicholson: https://www.youtube.com/@JennyNicholson/videos
Defunctland: https://www.youtube.com/@Defunctland/videos
Khadija Mbowe: https://www.youtube.com/@KhadijaMbowe/videos
Lisa Fevral: https://www.youtube.com/@LisaFevral/videos
Any Austin: https://www.youtube.com/@any_austin/videos
Shesez: https://www.youtube.com/@BoundaryBreak/videos
Leo Vader: https://www.youtube.com/@LeoVader/videos
Yhara Zayd: https://www.youtube.com/@Yharazayd/videos
ModernGurlz: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernGurlz/videos
Mina Le: https://www.youtube.com/@gremlita/videos
PushingUpRoses: https://www.youtube.com/@pushinguproses/videos
Maggie Mae Fish: https://www.youtube.com/@MaggieMaeFish/videos
hbomberguy: https://www.youtube.com/@hbomberguy/videos
withcindy: https://www.youtube.com/@withcindy/videos
Evasive: https://www.youtube.com/@EvasiveOne/videos
Team Starkid: https://www.youtube.com/@starkid/videos
Hildegard Von Blingin’: https://www.youtube.com/@Hildegardvonblingin/videos
Jan 26, 2025
🎧
i'm aware this is very long but hope it helps <3
books:
- colorless wonderland
- * emmie * - go-to for classics and relaxing vlogs
- a clockword reader - mostly fantasy + cozy atmosphere
- ana wallace johnson - always reading books i've never heard of + very cool vibe
- booksandLala - does lots of challenges and themes
- caricanread
- lexi aka newlynova
- noelle gallagher - love love her vibes
- sally thames - pls come back
- shawn mccomb - insane
- shitty book club - v funny
- the book leo
- paperbacksanddaisies
- fantine - v v cool vibes
- natalie.mp4
- bookpogo
- paperbackdreams
vlogs:
- caricakes - lives in seoul + very cozy
- chelsea callaghan - realistic vlogs of nyc life
- claire mcgory - underrated vlogs of life at st andrews scotland
- dobochobo
- dustin vuong
- emma chamberlain
- jingsuu - mostly study vlogs at oxford
- linh truong
- moya mawhinney
- ruby granger
- emma chamberlain
- jesycu
- elyse myers
- miadimilano
- leah's fieldnotes
- leandra yomo
- lauren louise
- claudia sulewski
video essays:
- alice capelle
- mina le
- shanspeare
- yhara zayd
- princess weekes
- lola sebastian
- the morbid zoo
- cj the x
- broey deschanel
- upinurbiz
- philosophy tube
- contra points
deep dives on random topics:
- ashley norton
- wendigoon
- bobbi brocolli - amazing animation + love knowing about science drama
- mic the snare - music deepdives
- gregcubed - deep dives into musicians
movies/shows deep dives:
- haley whipjack - love the once upon a time vids
- jane mulcahy - esp teen wolf vids
- jenny nicholson
- mike's mic - been a fan since the pigeon dating simulator
- pop culture detective
- sarah z
- sloan stowe
- uncarley
- babbity kate - love her video on bella's khaki skirt from twilight
- elievileye
- big joel
- gracietalksaboutthings - v underrated
- lindsay ellis
- friendly space ninja
funny people:
- danny gonzalez
- drew gooden
- eddy burback - also has very thoughtful video on apple vision goggles
- kaychung - stresses me out but love
- meditations for the anxious mind
- micarah tewers
- nicole rafiee
- good mythical morning - just look beyond the thumbnails
- brian david gilbert
- the sequel nobody wanted
- leo vader
- meditations for the anxious mind
educational:
- horses - wonderful story telling w/ visuals
- channel 5 with andrew callghan - very thought provoking yet entertaining
- intelexual media - such high quality content on topics that you don't hear much about
- jay foreman - very funny kinda like horrible history
- kaz rowe - obscure historical topics
- knowing better - deep dives into interesting groups like mormons
- kendra gaylord - love love love her interior design/architecture videos
- last week tonight w/ john oliver
- LEMMiNO
- wendover productions
- etymologynerd
miscellaneous:
- leena norms
- exurb1a - very creative stories
- vlogbrothers - always cheers me up
- nobody - amazingly specific playlists
- ultravclet - also cool playlists
- doobydobap - cooking vids
- mythical kitchen
Oct 21, 2024
🎥
books:
- * emmie * - go-to for classics and relaxing vlogs
- a clockword reader - mostly fantasy + cozy atmosphere
- ana wallace johnson - always reading books i've never heard of + very cool vibe
- ofbooksandthings (amberly) - very underrated
- booksandLala - does lots of challenges and themes
- caricanread
- newlynova
- noelle gallagher - love love her vibes
- sally thames - pls come back
- shawn mccomb - insane
- shitty book club - v funny
- the book leo
vlogs:
- caricakes - lives in seoul + very cozy
- chelsea callaghan - realistic vlogs of nyc life
- claire mcgory - underrated vlogs of life at st andrews scotland
- dobochobo
- dustin vuong
- emma chamberlain
- jingsuu - life at oxford
- katelee3 - underrated princeton vlogs
- linh truong
- lucy wang
- moya mawhinney
- ruby granger
video essays:
- alice capelle
- mina le
- shanspeare
- yhara zayd
kpop:
- mera
- andrew tullips
- 2ndgenbias
- daisyjun
- dprmilli
- hotgirlracha
- kpopstuffs - lots of genre takedowns
deep dives:
- ashley norton
- wendigoon
- babbity kate - love her video on bella's khaki skirt from twilight
- bobbi brocolli - amazing animation + love knowing about science drama
- emma leigh bee - has great agents of shield deep dive
movies/shows:
- haley whipjack - love the once upon a time vids
- jane mulcahy - esp teen wolf vids
- jenny nicholson
- michael's microphone - been a fan since the pigeon dating simulator
- pop culture detective
- princess weekes
- sarah z
- sloan stowe
- uncarley
funny people:
- danny gonzalez
- drew gooden
- eddy burback - also has very thoughtful video on apple vision goggles
- kaychung - stresses me out but love
- meditations for the anxious mind
- micarah tewers
- nicole rafiee - love a chronically online girl
- nikkie carreon
educational:
- horses - wonderful story telling w/ visuals
- channel 5 with andrew callghan - very thought provoking yet entertaining
- intelexual media - such high quality content on topics that you don't hear much about
- jay foreman - very funny kinda like horrible history
- kaz rowe
- kendra gaylord - love love love her interior design/architecture videos
- last week tonight w/ john oliver
- LEMMiNO
- wendover productions
miscellaneous:
- vlogbrothers - always cheers me up
- nobody - amazingly specific playlists
this is a very long list but i love all of these channels so i love sharing <3
Jun 23, 2024
Top Recs from @danielalala
Apr 30, 2025
đź“ş
today someone told me something about myself and they were just so completely off base that i started questioning my tone and facial expressions bc that was in no way the vibe i was going for
a related anti rec: people who meet you once and assume that they know everything about you (which they obviously don’t)
May 10, 2025
Apr 9, 2025